Spring mattress assembly



F. R. ZIMM May 31, 1932.-

latented' May 31, 1932- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" FRED It. ZIEM'EBHAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY HESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BURTON-DIXIE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DEIaA- wane Application filed July 16, 1930. Serial No. 488,317.

My invention pertains to certain mechanical and functional betterments in s iralspring assemblies, such, for examp e, as those used in s ring mattresses.

One object othe invention is to provide a spring structure of this or similar character which will possess adequate and proper cushioning properties and which will retam suchcapacities for annnlimited period.

A feature of the invention is the employment of relatively-small, upright springs at the corners of the construction and at points along the sides of the spring-assemb between the larger springs, whereby to in the otherwise unoccupied spaces and thusto make a structure better fitted to do the intended work. a

Another aim of the invention is to use a border wire along the margin or side of the an s ring construction so formed that it will g1ve great freedom of movement or compression of the neighboring upright springs and in such a manner that the wire will not become permanently bent or set.

Other advantages incident to the employment of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from an understanding of'the present preferred embodiment of the invention described in detail below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in the views of which, for simplicity, the same parts have been designated-- by like reference characters.

In these drawings,- v

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of the sprmg-assembly; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the side of the same.

ceived t at the spring-assembl comprises a number of cross rows of uprig t, hour-glass, spiral-springs 11,-11, the springs of adjacent rows being in staggered or ofiset relation, as is common practice and as is fully shown in the drawings.

Inasmuch as the top and bottom of the structure are substantially alike, afull and complete description of the top will suflice for an understanding of the "whole construction.

Refe ring to the drawings, it will be per- Each of such transverse rows of springs is connected to the springs of the rows on opposite sides of it by zigzag, cross wires 12, 12 joined in the manner shown to the top coils of the springs, such wires being alternately interlocked with the upper convolutions'or terminal coils 13, 13. of the springs of adoining rows, such construction constituting the subject-matter of-my co-pending appli igtzign SeriaI No. 417,669, filed December 31,

At each corner of the assembly a smaller, upright, helical spring 14 is employed, the convolutions of which, with the possible exception of the end ones, are of substantially the same size.

The end portion 15 of the wire forming the top of each such spring is wrapped around the upper. convolution 13 of the adjacent, hour-glassspring 11 at the end of the struc- 'ture,'theterminal portion 16 of .the wire,

forming the bottom of such spring, being in similar manner wound aroundfithebottom coil of the neighboring spring 11 at the side of the spring-assembly.

. Along the side of the construction, there are spaces at the ends of alternate, cross rows of springs 11, and each of such gapsis occ'u ied b an erect, helical spring 17 of substant1ally t 'e same size as the sprmg 14, the top, end coil 18 of the spring 17 being somewhat enlarged, with the end 19 of its wire interlocked with a crimped-part 20 of the top coil 13 of the next spring 11 of the same cross row, the bottom, end coil of spring 17 being, in like manner, joined to the bottom, end coil of the same spring 11.

Along each endof the assembly, both at the top and bottom, a border-wire 21 is employed which is interlocked with the top and bottom, end coils of the springs 11 and 14 at the two ends of the structure.

Each such top or bottom wire coil of each end spring 11 is bent'inwardlly at22, then outwardly at 23, then inward I at '24, and again outwardly at 25, the two adjacent parts 23, 24 constituting, as is clearly depicted, an intermediate, outward extension, and the border-wire 21 is bent so as to pass over the top coil 13, below the part 22, over the sections 23 and 24, beneath the part 25, and again over the top coil 13..

Thus, the border-wire 21 is firmly and securely locked or attached to the top coils of the springs referred to.

A's is fully illustrated, like connections are made with the top coils of the corner springs 14, and the ends of the border-wire 21 are wrapped around the upper coils 13 of the end springs of the next cross row at 26 and terminating in downturned or upturned ends 126, as the case may be.

' In order that the appliance may have substantial and proper'cushioning properties and that it may retain such resilient characteristics unimpaired, it is desirable that the border-wires along the tops and bottoms of the sides have greater flexibility than the corresponding end border-wires 21, and, accordingly, such side border-wires 27, 27, which are united with the end coils of the marginal springs 11 and 17 in a similar'but reverse way to that by which the wires 21 are joined to tive feature of the. side border-wires allows substantial freedom of movement of the'upright springs, and, upon release from the imposed load, all of the parts involved readily return to their original positions and relation.

Thus, there is a direct co-operation and coaction between the style of border-wire and the resiliency and flexibility of the springassembly as a whole and its capability for localized deflection and full return to initial condition upon release from im' osed strain.

From an understanding of w at precedes,

, coupled with the illustration, it will be appreciated that the border or marginal portions of the spring-assembly have been adequately supplied with sustaining, upright springs,

' and that no gaps or spaces of. substantial size exist which would interfere with the comfort of the user, the lifecof the spring-assembly, or its satisfactory and sustained performanceof its functions.

It will be noted that the end border-wires 21 extend around the corner springs 14, but that the side border-wires terminate short of the corner springs and have their ends coupled to the side springs 11 next to the corner springs.

In some cases, it may be preferable to form the end and side border-wires from a single len h of wire, but, in other instances, it may be esirable to have the individual side wires separate from the individual end wires, as illustrated, in order that theymay be of somewhat different gauge.

The employment of filler springs at frequent intervals along the sides of the structure, in association with the crim dfeatures of the side b0rder-wires, results 111 an assembly with marked cushioning characteristics along its sides and without danger of permanent distortion of any of the parts invo ved in the construction.

It should be perceived also that the cross wires 12 which connect the larger, verticall arranged springs together are not direct y united with the smaller springs or with the border-wires, such arrangement aidin in giving the assembly the capacity for yie ding in a manner to conserve the comfort of the occupant of. the appliance.

This novel and improved construction has been referred to as especially applicable for use in a spring mattress, but those acquainted, with the art will readily understand that its principles of construction may be satisfactorily employed inbed springs.

The invention, as defined by the appended claims, is not necessarily limited and confined to the exact details of construction, and these may be modified within relatively wide limits without departure from the principles of the.

invention and without the loss of any of its material advantages.

I claim: v

1. In a spring-assembly, the combination of parallel rows of upright spiral-springs with the springs of adjacent rows in staggered relation leaving gaps at corners of the as sembly, means tying said springs together, smaller upright spiral-springs occupying said gaps at corners of the assembly, one end wire of each of such corner springs being wrapped around the corresponding termmal coil of the next spring of the same row, the other end wire of each of such corner springs being wound around the corresponding terminal coil of the adjacent spring of the next row, and border-wire means connected to the end coils of the marginal springs of said rows and of said corner springs.

2. In a spring-assembly, the combinatlon of parallel rows of upright spiral-springs with the springs of adjacent rows in staggered relationleaving gaps at corners of the assembly, means tying said springs together, smaller upright spiral-springs occupyin said gaps at corners of the assembly, one en wire of each of said corner springs being wrapped around the corresponding terminal coil of the next spring of the same row, the other end wire of each of such corner springs bein wound around the corresponding termina coil of the adjacent spring of the next row, filler spiral-springs smaller than said row springs occupying the spaces at the ends of alternate rows of said springs, the end wires 1,200,042 I i i 3 ofv said filler springs bein connected to the corresponding terminal. coils of the adjacent springs in the same row, and border-wire means connected to the end coils of the mar- 5 ginal springs of said rows, of said corner springs and of said filler springs.

1 3. In a spring-assembly, the combination otparallel rows of 'ugright spiral-springs -'with the springs of a jacent rows in staggered relation leaving gaps at corners of the assembly, means tying said springs together,

smaller upright spiral-springs occupying said gaps at corners of the assembly, one end wire of each of said corner springs being wrapped around the corres onding terminal coil of the next spring of t e same row, the other end wire of each of such corner springs being wound around the corresponding terminal coil of the adjacent spring 0 the next row, filler spiral-springs smaller than said row springs-occupying the spaces at the ends of alternate rows of said springs, the end wires of said filler springs bemg connected to the corresponding terminal coi s of the adjacent springs in the same row, and borderwire means connected to the end coils of the marginal springs of said rows, of said corner springs and of said filler springs, said borderwire means along the sides of said assembly so being of wave form between its points of'attachment to the springs to increase the flexability thereof. a

4. In a spring-assembly, the combination of parallel rows of upright spiral-springs 85 with the springs of adjacent rows in staggered relation, means tying said springs together, smaller upright spiral-springs at the corners of the assembly, and border-wire means connected to the end coils of the mar- 0 ginal springs of said rows and to the end coils of said corner springs, the wire form-' ing one end coil of each of such corner springs being extended to, and bent around the corresponding terminal coil of the next spring of the same row and at a point remote from the connection of said co l to said border-p wire means, the wire forming the 'other end coil of each of suchcorner springs being extended to and bent around the corresponding terminal coil'of the adjace t spring of the next row at a pointremote from the connection of such terminal coil to said border-wire means. j j 7 In, 'tness whereof I have hereunto set Wmrnnnnzrmm MAN 

